Graphical media, such as nameplates, plaques, appliques, decals, badges, etc., are used to decorate, identify, and/or describe many commercial products. The automotive industry uses vehicle emblems, including grille badges and boot badges, to designate the make and model and, in some instances, the version of a vehicle. Vehicle emblems are normally secured to a forward portion of the engine hood (“hood badge”), mounted on the front grille (“grille badge”), or coupled to a lateral panel (“side badge”) or a rear panel (“bumper badge”) of the vehicle's outer fascia. While most vehicle emblems are limited to providing information and an aesthetically appealing ornamental design, some emblem configurations provide additional functionality, including occupant protection, anti-theft, and other features.
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC; also designated Autonomous Cruise Control) is a computer-automated vehicle control system used to regulate vehicle speed, for example, to manage the distance from vehicles forward of the automobile's passenger compartment while maintaining the driver's preset cruise control speed. Another type of automated vehicle control system is the Collision Avoidance System (CAS), which detects imminent collision conditions and either provides a warning to the driver or takes action autonomously—e.g., by steering or braking—without driver input. Intelligent Parking Assist Systems (IPAS), Lane Monitoring Systems, and other autonomous car-maneuvering features are also available on modern-day automobiles.
For all of the above-mentioned computer-automated systems, vehicle control is typically imposed based on sensor information from on-board laser, infrared, video or radar sensors. By way of example, many ACC and CAS systems use front-mounted radar sensors for determining the distance to a vehicle forward of the passenger compartment, as well as its relative speed, and, if required, the directional angle of the front vehicle. Radar sensor systems emit and receive electromagnetic radio waves, which have low penetration capabilities with respect to the metallic, chrome, and polymeric materials commonly used to fabricate automotive emblems and badges. If the badge is mounted in such a way that it intercepts emitted/received radar beams, the badge can obstruct or otherwise attenuate the radio waves and thereby disturb the ACC system.